The Chinatown in San Francisco is the     1     (big) in America. It is a very popular tourist draw     2     receives many visitors each year.     3     (historical), Chinese immigrants settled in the area during the railroad construction and gold rush period. Now the     4     (major) of residents in Chinatown are still ethnic Chinese.

Most of Chinatown     5     (destroy) in the 1906 earthquake, but the city and residents rebuilt it,     6     (take) care to include lots of Chinese architecture. There are many famous sites in Chinatown including the Tin How Temple, Bank of Canton and Portsmouth Square,     7     (name) but a few. People can find     8     unique range of souvenirs, goods, and clothing in the stores in the Chinatown. But perhaps     9     people treasure most is its food that     10     (suit) everyone’s taste.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to our city! And I’m your tour guide today. Let me show you     1     the city. As you can see, at present there are some places     2     (rebuild) in order to make the city more beautiful. Look! A new supermarket     3     (build) in the centre. And the main roads     4     (widen) so far. Next, let’s come to the old museum     5     many art works     6     (exhibit). What’s more, a new one is     7     construction behind it. And now we’re coming to the park in     8     you can see that different kinds of activities     9     (do) by people of all ages. Oh, look, there is a good juice shop where fresh and delicious drinks     10     (prepare) for you if you feel thirsty.

The Amber Room     1    (give) this name because several tons of amber     2    (use) to make it. The    3    (select) amber had a beautiful yellow­brown colour like honey. The design of the room was in the fancy style popular in those days. It was also a treasure    4    (decorate) with gold and jewels, which     5    (take) the country’s best artists about ten years     6    (make).

Later, Catherine Ⅱ had the Amber Room    7    (move) to a palace outside St. Petersburg where she spent her summers. Sadly, the Amber Room,     8     (consider) one of the wonders of the world, is now missing.

Have you ever forgotten to lock the door of your house or switch off the TV? These kinds of things often happen to us,    1    can lead to problems. However, in the near future, we     2    (live) in smart homes that will lock the door and switch off the TV    3    (automatic). These smart homes will provide us with a     4    (comfortable) environment than now.  

Your home will learn your daily routine and preferences, so everything will be ready for you when you get home each evening. For example, lights will come on instantly you enter the door along with     5    (you) favourite music. All controls will respond     6     voice commands, so you just say     7     you want and the home system will obey. Besides, it will give you suggestions on a healthier diet and how     8    (sleep) better.  

This smart technology is not a fantasy. Many of these new    9    (innovate) are already available and being used in some homes. Nevertheless, it will take some years     10     most new homes begin to use this new technology.

The artists of Dafen can paint like Van Gogh

The village of Dafen was once thought     1     (produce) the most oil paintings in the world every year. Recognized as the “world’s art factory”, Dafen impressed visitors     2     its many workshops, in which painters created mock masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Warhol. But the village was always seen     3     (much) as a production line than a place of culture. Today the future of Dafen may depend on     4     it is able to earn respect of the art world.

As the global financial crisis broke out in 2008 and cut down overseas orders, things started to change for Dafen. With more demand     5     (come) from domestic market, artists began painting different subjects. “New customers preferred Chinese styles.” says     6     painter in Dafen. He learnt the art of Shan Shui which involves representing natural landscapes. In some ways Dafen reflected the broader economy. As exports start to decline as a share of GDP, domestic     7     (consume) plays a larger role in driving growth.

China is the world’s second-largest art market.     8     it is not clear where Dafen fits in. Li Jinghu, an artist from nearby Dongguan, often visits the village hoping to discover new talent. But locals say the demand for their paintings     9     (decline) in the past two pandemic-struck years. “Most people would probably be surprised that Dafen still exists. It does and it will,” says Lisa Movius, a writer in Shanghai     10     covers art.